We have a bin of movies that sit beneath our television, and my children plumage through them, and yes it is necessary to them to take every single one of them out and line them out on the floor. On one of these occasions, they decided that they wanted to watch Polar Express.

There is one scene that I really enjoy watching. The children are on a magical train, they are given a free ticket (but they have to keep up with it), and they are traveling to a wondrous place. At one point the conductor asks over the intercom system, “Is anyone in need of refreshment!” All the children’s hands shot up, and at that moment stewards run down the aisles and begin to dance, sing, serving, and the children (and the viewers) are spellbound. They dance on the tables, and they shoot hot chocolate with sharp shooter precision. Everyone has fun, they are refreshed, and train moves on towards its magical destination.

What if church were like that? If we ask people, “Who is in need of refreshment?” their hands will shoot up. But often times what we give them is bitter stale coffee, which was brewed back in 50’s sometime. It’s not sweet hot chocolate, it’s moldy and irrelevant. The display before them is not energetic or served with precision; it is an entrenched, old school, boring routine.

So, Drew, you want church to be Cirque du Soleil? Yeah, sort of. What if church could be a place where people would be swept up in a wondrous movement? What if people could leave refreshed and excited about the journey. The person we are journeying to see is far better than Santa, and the place is far better the North Pole. Can we dance for the king? Can we sing with all our hearts? Can we present His mighty Word with creativity?

Who is in need of refreshment?

At a recent conference that I attended, one of the presenters asked the question, “What if your church closed its’ doors, would there be an outcry?” The idea being that the church is either making a difference, and the community sees the value they are adding, so much so that they actually speak out when it is gone. Or the church simply disappears and no on even notices, or cares.

This coming Saturday Daybreak will be serving our special needs community in a ministry that we call Respite. Parents of children with special need a rest, period. There are many parents who are on the go, protecting their children who may lack inhibition to danger, or their metabolism is extremely high and are constantly moving, or because of their medical condition they are constantly having to perform various medical procedures. We truly have a love for these families and especially the children.

But to be honest, for those who are involved and dedicated to this ministry, if we had to stop it for some reason, there would be an outcry. I believe the children themselves would cry out because a special group of people who genuinely loved them were no longer there. Their parents would cry out because a true need in their life, is now gone.

We have lost two of our precious ones since the conception of the ministry, at it still breaks our heart to even remember these children. Some have moved away to distant states, and we miss them as well. If you want to be apart of something that will cause others to cry out – be apart of Respite at Daybreak.

David is the Bible is a man that I really respect. Besides being a musician, fierce warrior, he was also a great leader. While he was running from Saul people from all over the countryside joined his band of misfits. He had a magnetic personality and leadership style. I believe that one of the characteristics of being a magnetic leader is transparency. David, in many ways, wore his heart on his sleeve. David wrote psalms, poems, songs, etc.. as expressions of love for his God, and his spiritual journey.

Some time ago, as I was studying the Bible, my heart was heavy and I wrote my own form of a psalm. Sometimes it helps just to put something down on paper. Before you read it, just know that I do not think that what I have written is “Scripture” – it is just something that I hope helps you today.

A Psalm to the Lord

My sin keeps me up at night,

it robs me of sleep and it haunts my thoughts

that should be focused on you and your purpose.

My sin remains as long as I desire it

and returns when my focus is not on you.

My enemies return and my heart pounds

and I look to my sin for relief

instead of you as my fortress and wisdom.

It is a broken crutch.

Lord cleanse me and forgive me.

I know your presence and companionship.

Your plan is far better than my sin – please take it away.

I thought it was gone, but here it is again.

Keep my ways pure and my path straight.

It is my desire to follow You.

Amen.

As a church staff we have recently read Mark Driscol’s book Radical Reformission and we are currently in the middle of Rob Bell’s book Velvet Elvis. In both of their books, chapter six seems to be their most radical chapters. For Driscol it is his acceptance and even encouragement to drink alcohol, specifically beer. For Bell, he seeks to show that heaven and hell will eventually be real places when Christians live this life in such a way to bring it about. Plus there are many other heretical statements peppered throughout the book. Bell also has a high respect for Jewish Rabbis and their traditions, but little respect and value for the Bible. Driscol on the other has a very high respect for Scripture and holds to orthodox concepts such as inerrancy and infallibility.

Is there a difference? You bet. I may not agree with Driscol’s view on alcohol, but I have heard him speak and heard his heart (and doctrine) and have absolutely no hesitation in standing beside him in order to reach our world for Christ. I have recently come to understand that if we cut off other brothers and sisters who are Christians, just because we disagree with them on a peripheral issue, it is analogous to cutting off our arm. As churches we end up hopping around, handicapped, bleeding, and we wonder why the world says, “no thank you.”

Bell on the other hand, by his teachings completely undermines Christianity by encouraging people to consider concepts about Christ that are foolish and ungrounded (see Genesis 3). We must show his book and such discussions for what they are – liberal theology that kills churches and changes the definition of the gospel from what Jesus and the disciples clearly taught.

Both argue for church culture to change, both say they desire to see people saved – but one is a serpent and one is a saint. Bottom line -- foundational doctrine is very important. Without a solid foundation, trampolines (with springs) collapse. (see Bells introduction).

Yesterday was the "car load" special at the Frederick County Fair. So Kimberly and I took the crew to see the animals, ride rides, and to have some much needed "family" time. It was a blast!

I usually take Fridays off from work and try spend the whole day doing something with my family. But recently, I confess, Fridays have become crowded with other stuff.

You have to guard your time, and make sure that those precious moments spent with your family don't slip through your fingers. I don't want to be one of those guys who gained the world, but lost what was most important to him.

There are two main ways to reach people for Christ. One is to focus on the outward appearance of a person, and expect them to change how they look. Another way would be to focus on the inside first.

A person who disciples by focusing on the outside, wants their disciple to immediately change how they dress, how they fashion their hair, their make-up, etc… One of two things can happen. Either they will change their appearance and look “Christian,” or they reject Christianity all together. The concern is really not their spiritual walk; many disciple makers simply don’t like diversity in their church.

They feel all Christians should look, sound, act, dress, and worship like they do. There is, however, a problem with this mentality – the person may change on the outside but there is little change on the inside. I believe that Jesus talked about this type of disciple making when he said to the Pharisees, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.” Matthew 23:15 When a person only focuses on the outside, you get a shallow disciple.

There is another option available to us. A disciple maker could look past the weird dress, colorful makeup, and course comments and instead focus on the heart. Jesus called people to holiness, repentance, love of neighbors, etc… The problem with this process is that it takes time and there will be moments where your disciple does things that embarrass you. But as you love them, the change comes from the inside out. They will slowly begin to make decisions about dress, behavior, etc. on their own without having to be told. Their discipleship will be heartfelt and authentic, not shallow and hypocritical.

Currently, our youth ministry is exploding and there is subtle pressure to focus on outwards things. There are some that wants us to focus on certain outward “things” immediately because it makes them feel uncomfortable. We are having tons of kids coming, and they don’t look like “us.” I say, “Praise the Lord!” In order for us to have a true impact on their lives we have to love them for who they are right now, and disciple them into whom they will become. Authentic and real discipleship takes a while. Lasting change doesn’t happen overnight.

My wife Kimberly was absolutely star struck when she saw Miss Pattycake at a recent concert. If you are not familiar with Miss Pattycake, she is a wonderful Christian performer who ministers to pre-schoolers (and their parents) through music and movement. Kimberly sang all the songs, did all the movements and would not stop talking to her even when it was no longer our turn to stand in line and have our picture taken with her. She was absolutely giddy. But you know, adults need heroes too. We live in a world where those that stand up for what they believe, live it out, and last the test of time are very few and far between. We need to see that someone out there has done it, so that we can have hope to be able to do it too. You go Miss Pattycake!

www.misspattycake.com

Last time we looked at that we when have a great idea, then we need to do something with it. I believe that nothing is more detrimental to creativity than fear, and asking “what if it fails?”

Our church began to have two services a couple of years ago and in one of our services I give a weekly “Children’s Message.” I love it! But there are 52 weeks in a year and they come around with extreme frequency. The question is “how do I creatively come up with 40 or more unique and interesting ways to tell an eternally impacting story?”

If I again boil down what I do, I am essentially a storyteller – how many different ways are there to tell a story. I tried puppets, magic tricks, objects lessons, games – the options are limitless. We generally think there is only one way to do what we do. But to try new things requires that you take some risk.

I never in a million years would ever have imagined that I would be a ventriloquist. But I purchased a puppet named Dusty and began to tell stories by dialoging with my new friend. It scared me to death, and yes there were some Sundays when things were not all that “polished.” But now I can open up my storyteller toolbox and have one extra tool.

This year I am excited to reveal my shadow puppet stage that I have put together. Yes I have already done puppets (Dusty rocks!) but now I am exploring different types of puppets. My point is, if you boil down what you do to its most basic level, and then explore that concept.

For Example: Pastor – Storyteller – puppets – shadow puppets

I don’t want to be known as “the puppet guy” but a storyteller. So, if that is happening (being known as “the puppet guy”) then I am not exploring other ways of telling stories with enough frequency. Get out there, take some risks, don't get stuck in a rut, and put some more tools in your toolbox.

At the most basic level of what I do, I am essentially a storyteller. As a storyteller, I have the privilege of telling the greatest story ever told in man’s history. I teach from the greatest book that has been written. The story and the book are far from boring – but sometimes I am.

The best storytellers are those that live through the story they are telling and actually let it deeply affect them. They actually convince people that for a moment in time, they are actually transported to distant lands, different times, and are moved to do or become something larger than themselves.

The best storytellers are also something that strikes fear into my heart – they are CREATIVE. I am comfortable being “inspired” (another word for stealing or borrowing) by other’s work because I know that it has already been well received. Creative moments are by definition, things that have never been done before. It is scary because you don’t know how others will receive it. Will they like it? Will they hate it? Will it move them – or bore them to tears?

At a recent mission trip to Alabama, during a worship service I believe that God “laid on my heart” that our church needed to have a funeral service. We had grown complacent and apathetic in too many areas of our lives, and we needed to put parts of ourselves (behaviors, attitudes, sin, etc…) to death. So I pitched the idea to several people – and they said “you want to do what?” -- “Yeah, we can get a casket, flowers (wilted), a hearse, I’ll wear a ministerial robe, we’ll sing hymns, eulogies, low light, etc….”

We had the funeral service today, and at one point the thought went through my brain, “I’ve killed the church.” And to be honest I am not sure how things will work out. But creativity (even as a gift from the Lord) is not worth much if you don’t carry it through.

So, my first point is, give it a shot. You could fail, and they might hate it. But what if you succeed and they love it? You’ll never know until you try. For me, what if the funeral service is a turning point in our church? What happens to a church when it stops taking risks? What happens when its leaders wait until someone else does it first?

I am not naturally a creative person, but over the next couple of posts I wanted to give a couple of ideas of how I have learned to foster creativity. So that in whatever it is that you, at your most basic level, endeavor to do, you can take these ideas and apply them to your life.

My wife Kimberly had a mom’s night out last night so I rented Star Wars IV, and V – for the kids. Someone had rented episode VI (curse you aqua scum). Star Wars IV was the first movie I ever went to, and I was about the same age as my twin boys. This was a special moment that my father and I shared that I wanted to duplicate with my children.

Once Kimberly left, we popped popcorn and we all (four of us) settled into my recliner. We cranked up the surround sound and I was ready for a great night of watching movies together (quietly).

It wasn’t too long before the questions started popping like the half eaten popcorn in our bucket –

“Dad, are they good guys or bad guys”

“Is this a good guy planet or a bad guy planet?”

“I thought Luke Skywalker’s dad died in the lava pit . . .”

“What is the force?”

“Can I have the rest of your popcorn?”

After about 20 questions and realizing how rusty my Star Wars trivia was, I just started saying – let’s just watch the movie. Just watch the movie! Shhhhhhhh.

I realize that in my Christian journey, and even as a leader, I constantly ask questions through the movie. Why is this person or family here? Should we start a new ministry? Why are they doing that? On and on and on. What I learned last night, there in the recliner, was that I was missing God’s answers to my questions because I wouldn’t be still and quiet long enough to just watch and see what God is doing. It will all make sense if I just keep watching. Shhhhh.

“Be still and know that I am God.”

Here it is -- my first post, blog -whatever. I suppose I should tell you why I have added something else to my "to do" list by launching a blog. I believe that God desires for me to teach about His Word, the Bible, and ways that people can apply it to their lives.

So this blog is dedicated to that purpose. I promise that if you come back, you will never see pictures of cats, or stories of how I have a rash (which I don't) or any other trivial subjects. I will attempt, with each new post, to have something that I have learned that I feel will benefit others.

So we begin with purpose -- why have yet another blog? Specifically why should I begin a blog? It is my desire to expand my realm of influence beyond my congregation and to potentially share the truths of the Bible to many others. And I also understand that I have along ways to go before I am one of those super-pastors. So repsond back and we can learn together. Welcome to our journey together.